The College of New Jersey The Roar · working, as well as presentations from Dr. Matthew Golden, VP...

Communication Studies Department Hosts 2nd Annual Alumni Day

The College of New Jersey

Did You

Know?

Erin Prendergast

‘11 and Katie

Ward ‘12 pre-

sented the only

undergraduate

paper accepted to

the D.C. Health

Communication

Conference

sponsored by

George Mason

University in

April.

Dr. Woodward

has written sev-

en books! His

most recent is

entitled The Per-

fect Response: Stud-

ies of the Rhetorical

Personality.

RTF senior

Melanie Medina

will work as an

Assistant Editor

at NBC Univer-

sal after gradua-

tion.

2007 alumnus

Guillermo

Romero is cur-

rently serving in

the Peace Corps

Teaching Eng-

lish as a Foreign

Language

(TEFL) in Cam-

bodia.

SPRING 2011 VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2

The Roar Communication Studies at TCNJ: A National Leader in Student-Faculty Engagement

By: Andrew Pietranek

On Saturday, March 19th the Communi-

cation Studies Department hosted its 2nd

annual Alumni Day festivities in Room

202 of the Brower Student Center. Both

recent and past alumni joined current

faculty and students for professional net-

working, as well as presentations from

Dr. Matthew Golden, VP for College

Advancement, who expressed apprecia-

tion for myriad achievements by com-

munication studies students, and Mat-

thew Johnson ‘98, Director of Ethicon

Communications at Johnson & Johnson,

who encouraged students to network

beyond their immediate workplaces and

specializations.

Many current TCNJ students took ad-

vantage of the student-alumni network-

ing portion of Alumni Day and received

helpful career advice. ―Don‘t get dis-

couraged. Keep applying to anything

that might be in your realm, in your

comfort level, and in your travel radius,‖

advised Patrick Lavery ‘09, a current

mid-day news anchor at WGHT 1500

AM in Pompton Lakes, New Jersey.

Overall, the entire Alumni Day was a

success. Department Chair Dr. John Pol-

lock said, ―One of the great pleasures of

teaching in the Communication Studies

Department at TCNJ is the energy of our

students reaching far beyond graduation,

exemplified in this alumni festival.‖

Inside this issue:

Class of 2011 2-3

Dr. Anntarie Lanita Sims 4

Dr. Gary C. Woodward 5-6

The Bon Jovi Experience 7

Alumni Abroad 8-9

Alumni Spotlight : Rowena Briones 9

Club Updates 10

Communication Studies seniors Emily

O’Gorman (left) and Jacqueline Webb

(right) pose with Dean Laughton and Dr.

Pollock at the department’s 2nd annual

Alumni Day

Communication Studies Department stu-

dents, faculty, and alumni pose together at

the department’s 2nd annual Alumni Day

The Roar

The Class of 2011 Says Goodbye to the Communication Studies Department

By: Danielle Diglio

All of us at The Roar wish the Communication Studies Department Class of 2011 the best of luck in all of their future endeavors!

Here is what some of our seniors will be up to after graduation, as well as their favorite memories from their time in the Communi-

cation Studies Department.

Josh Buono

Track: Radio/TV/Film

Post-graduation plans: Move to LA, high

five Bill Murray, play an enormous amount

of Super Nintendo, cry when ―How I Met

Your Mother‖ ends, drink coffee with/near

Natalie Portman, win multiple Best Origi-

nal Screenplay Oscars, learn how to speak

squirrel.

Favorite memory: The reaction to the foot

fetish short that I wrote/directed/acted in

for Professor Johnson's directing course…

I'll probably never live it down.

Jenna Bush


Post-graduation plans: I hope to become

a professional cinematographer, perhaps

working my way into the industry with

assistant editing and production assistant

jobs on film and TV show sets.

Favorite memory: Shooting my first narra-

tive.

Amanda Coe


Post-graduation plans: Working free-

lance in either production or casting in

NYC.

Favorite memory: The two internships

with MTV Networks that I was able to

secure through the Communication Studies

Department.

Melanie Medina


Post-graduation plans: Assistant Editor at

NBC Universal.

Favorite memory: Starting up Lions TV

with TCNJ alumni.

Daniel Quinn


Post-graduation plans: Get a job!

Favorite memory: Working on "Fro Gro"

for the TV Studio.

Kellyn Frances Klapko

Track: Public/Mass

Post-graduation plans: Working at Novo

Nordisk, Inc.

Favorite memory: Taking my first com-

munication class (Com103) with Dr. D'An-

gelo. I had no idea what to expect, and I

loved his class! My passion for Communi-

cation Studies lead me to some of the most

memorable classes with the other profes-

sors at The College of New Jersey!

Sarah Ruane

Track: Interpersonal/Organizational

Post-graduation plans: Apply to graduate

school for speech language pathology.

Favorite memory: The first day of Inter-

personal with Dr. Sims and all of the good

times and laughs with the LPH e-board

girls (and Courtney of course).

Patricia McWatters Track: Public/Mass

Post-graduation plans: I plan to work in

either the public relations or marketing

field – I am currently applying for posi-

tions.

Favorite memory: The Lambda Pi Eta

induction ceremony.

Danielle Diglio

Track: Public/Mass

Post-graduation plans: Work in the

health communication/public health field.

Favorite memory: Working on framing

projects with Dr. D‘Angelo in Com172 and

Com272!

Arash Nouri Track: Radio/TV/Film

Post-graduation plans: Obtain a job at

MTV or any other related entertainment

corporation.

Favorite memory: Working with fellow

students on movie projects.

Courtney Payne

Track: Public/Mass and Interpersonal

Post-graduation plans: I will be attending

culinary school for Classic Pastry Arts at

either The Culinary Institute of America or

The French Culinary Institute in Soho.

Upon culinary school graduation, I am

looking forward to combining my Commu-

nication Studies degree as well as my Pas-

try Arts degree to pursue a career in food

media and ultimately open my own bakery/

cafe.

Favorite memory: If I had to pick just

one, it would be the opportunity I was giv-

en to TA for Interpersonal Communication

(Com242). The lessons I learned and the

memories I made through that experience

are irreplaceable. I would like to think that

I was a part of making a difference in some

lives, as the class made a difference in

mine.

Ashley Platt

Track: Public/Mass

Post-graduation plans: Benjamin Enter-

prises, Inc. Media Management - social

networking and online marketing.

Favorite memory: Interracial Communi-

cation with Dr. Sims - I really enjoyed the

―openness‖ of the class and I took a lot

from learning others‘ experiences.

Amanda Robinson


Post-graduation plans: I will be attending

law school and I hope to dance for a pro-

fessional sports dance team.

Favorite memory: Dr. D‘Angelo's Com172

class when he showed us a nice rap video

from BET and explained how much it in-

trigued him.

Mark Smith


Post-graduation plans: Producing for

theatre or post-production in TV.

Favorite memory: Workshopping screen-

plays with Matt Lawrence.

Continued on next page...

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2

The Roar Congratulates the Communication

Studies Department Class of 2011!

Krystal Spencer Track: Radio/TV/Film

Post-graduation plans: Fan photographer

for the Philadelphia Phillies and freelance

photographer.

Favorite memory: "Interning" for the day

with Bon Jovi this past March. I met a lot

of amazing people, was able to take profes-

sional pictures, and attended the concert

for free!

Chanice Truitt

Track: Public/Mass

Post-graduation plans: I'll be working for

Information Technology at TCNJ upon

graduation.

Favorite memory: Completing the MEGA

with Dr. Sims!

Hannah Pagán

Track: Interpersonal/Organizational

Post-graduation plans: Law school, likely

at American University.

Favorite memory: Listening to Dr. Pol-

lock and Dr. D'Angelo bicker…Every sin-

gle time. They're amazing.

Andrew Pietranek Track: Radio/TV/Film

Post-graduation plans: Production Assis-

tant on the Style Network‘s new series

Glam Fairy.

Favorite memory: All of my time spent in

the TV Studio as part of LTV and realizing

I wanted to work in television.

The Communication Studies Department

Class of 2011 poses together at the senior

luncheon on May 4th

Gabrielle Avitabile

Corinne Barone

David Bosak

Joshua Buono

Jenna Bush

Colleen Cawley

Amanda Coe

Gina Colati

Michael Coniglio

Caitlin Davis

Danielle Diglio

Nicholas Donnoli

Michelle Dutka

Daphride Exume

Elizabeth Fella

Abby Hocking

Rachel Kelley

Kellyn Klapko

Victoria Koziol

Deepta Lamichhane

Adam Lepkowski

Michelle Maltese-

Nehrbass

Shakia Mayer

Alisha McCain

Caitlin McNab

Patricia McWatters

Melanie Medina

Kristen Molnar

Arash Nouri

Emily O‟Gorman

Hannah Pagan

Amber Palmer

Courtney Payne

Natasha Perez

Andrew Pietranek

Ashley Platt

Erin Prendergast

Lindsey Puliti

Daniel Quinn

Melissa Ricardo

Michael Roberts

Amanda Robinson

Charles Rosenberg

Christopher Rotolo

Sarah Ruane

Kira Scharf

Tara Shanahan

Jillian Shaw

Wayne Sidor

Caressa Slocum

Mark Smith

Krystal Spencer

Chanice Truitt

Danielle Verello

Rebecca Vogt

Ivana Vranjes

Jacqueline Webb

Julianna White

Ryan Yorke

Michelle Yzaguirre

The Roar congratulates the following stu-

dents who were recognized for their achieve-

ments within the department:

Department Specialization

Awards:

Interpersonal Organiza-

tional Communication —

Sarah Ruane

Public and Mass Communi-

cation — Kellyn Klapko

Radio/TV/Film — Jenna

Bush and Nicholas Don-

noli

WTSR David Rogosky

Award — Michelle Yzaguir-

re

Promise of Achievement

Award (to promising

Juniors) — Kathleen Ward,

Carolina Chica, and Melis-

sa Virzi

Leadership and Advocacy

Award — Natasha Perez

Matthew B. Wasser

Internship Award —

Rebecca Vogt

Health Communication

Award — Jacqueline Webb

Faculty Award —

Jacqueline Webb

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2

“Dr. Sims is the type

of professor every

student dreams of

having in college.”

Jillian Irizarry ,

SGA Senator of

Arts and

Communication

It is nearly impossible to walk through the

halls of Kendall Hall without hearing whis-

pers about the infamous MEGA Project

and the well known Communication Stud-

ies professor behind it. This professor pre-

pares the students who dare to take her

courses for their college experience as well

as life after college by offering them a

unique experience that can be matched by

few others. Opinions about these courses

and this professor are often mixed, but

most students will agree on one thing –

don‘t take one of Dr. Sims‘ courses if you

are not prepared to work. Dr. Anntarie

Lanita Sims, our very own Interpersonal

Communication specialist, expects nothing

but the best from her students. She holds

high standards for her students and stresses

the importance of achievement on both

micro and macro levels. These life lessons

are known to help students in other courses

as well as outside of the classroom. Dr.

Sims‘ courses teach discipline, organiza-

tional skills, research proficiency, re-

sourcefulness, self concept, and of course

interpersonal communication skills.

Jillian Irizarry ‘12, SGA Senator of Arts

and Communication states, ―Dr. Sims is

the type of professor every student dreams

of having in college, the type of professor

who truly helps you become an adult and a

success. Dr. Sims‘ courses force one to not

only open up but also to be heard and to

listen critically to the opinions of others.‖

―The Sims experience‖ is one of a kind,

unfamiliar to most students because it en-

courages self-disclosure, personal class

discussions, introspection, soul searching

and a lot of honesty both with yourself and

others. A Sims class is demanding because

of the high standards that accompany the

course load, but the reward is worth the

work.

"Dr. Sims is much more than an acclaimed

professor; she is a mentor and a friend. The

Sims method is more of a lifestyle. It

teaches you discipline, honesty, lifelong

goals; it‘s reflective, and prepares you for

experiences in the real world with a great

level of comfort. My life changed after

taking her classes, and I would strongly

recommend taking at least one, because

without it your college experience is not

complete. It is so refreshing for a professor

to not only instill high expectations within

her students but also to give assignments

that have such in-depth meaning" says

Lambda Pi Eta President, Kellyn Klapko

‘11.

Many students claim that once they have

taken Com 242, Interpersonal Communica-

tion, and completed the MEGA Project,

they feel much more confident about ap-

proaching any other class project. They

also say that although the course is de-

manding, it is well worth the effort because

the end result is irreplaceable.

Debbie Wilk speaks highly of Dr. Sims

because she has seen the changes in her

daughter, a member of the class of 2011,

since beginning Sims classes in spring

2009. ―When my daughter signed up for

her first Sims class she considered chang-

ing out of the class because she was intimi-

dated by the comments she read on "Rate

my Professor." I convinced her that she

should just give it a try before making the

switch. Well, after the first week of class

she called and said, ‗Mom, you were

right. I think this is going to be my favor-

ite class this semester.‘ Not only was it her

favorite class that semester, but also every

Sims class since then became her favorite!

She has now taken every Sims class availa-

ble, found her self-confidence, and become

an independent thinker. She. is self as-

sured, self motivated and ready to face

what lies beyond the walls of TCNJ. To

Dr. Sims I say thank you!‖

Dr. Sims has touched the lives of many

students in the Communication Studies

Department at the TCNJ. Her gift for

teaching and her remarkable dedication to

her students make her one of the most vital

assets to our academic community, and one

of the most well-known, well-respected,

and loved professors here at the College.

Dr. Anntarie Lanita Sims: The Method Behind the Madness

By: Courtney Payne

Lambda Pi Eta President, Kellyn Klapko,

Dr. Sims, and Courtney Payne

Dr. Sims poses with students from her

Small Group Communication course

THE ROAR

The Perfect Response: An Interview with Dr. Gary C. Woodward

By: Katie Ward

Like many college students, Dr.

Woodward had many different in-

terests in topics like psychology

and broadcasting when he began his

undergraduate education. It was

not until he began graduate school

at California State University at

Sacramento that a professor sparked

his interest in political communica-

tion. Now Dr. Woodward has de-

grees in communication and rhetor-

ical theory from California State

University at Sacramento and the

University of Pittsburgh (Ph.D.

1972).

He enjoys writing about political

communication because it is a topic

he is familiar with and knows well.

The idea for The Perfect Response

grew out of a freshman seminar

program (FSP) class about the idea

of identification. The class was in-

teresting for Dr. Woodward be-

cause it had many students who

were not Communication Studies

majors, and he was able to see new

perspectives from students in differ-

ent disciplines. The FSP eventually

grew into Dr. Woodward‘s current

class, The Philosophy of Communi-

cation, where he uses his new book.

Compared to his other books, The

Perfect Response is less focused on

politics. It explores many new top-

ics like communication disorders,

including social isolation and au-

tism spectrum disorder. This is the

first time that Dr. Woodward has

explored these health issues in such

depth, and his research into the

comparison between normally de-

veloping individuals and

individuals with social disorders

was helpful when writing the book.

With an understanding of the terms

associated with communication dis-

orders, Dr. Woodward was able to

further explain the Rhetorical Per-

sonality. One of his favorite indi-

viduals to research and write about

is Ed Rendell, the former governor

of Pennsylvania and mayor of Phil-

adelphia. Rendell always has such

a powerful presence whenever he

speaks and really knows how to

connect and reach out to the crowd.

He also enjoyed writing about Ste-

ve Martin and the comedian‘s abil-

ity to process information during

his stand up routines. Since there

are about 35 personalities men-

tioned in his book, it was difficult

for Dr. Woodward to choose just

one.

The Rhetorical Personality is not

limited to comedians and politi-

cians. The personality can be found

in any profession that requires the

individual to have a relationship

with others such as in sales or

teaching. The reason Dr. Wood-

ward uses politicians, especially

mayors, as an example of the Rhe-

torical Personality is because they

are public figures who are constant-

ly visible. In a time when tradi-

tional measures of communication

in politics are being replaced by

―listening presidencies‖, it is im-

portant to study politicians of the

past and present.

Dr. Gary C. Woodward, a professor

in the Communication Studies De-

partment at The College of New

Jersey has recently published his

seventh book through the publisher

Lexington Books entitled The Per-

fect Response: Studies of the Rhe-

torical Personality. In his new

book Dr. Woodward uses a combi-

nation of communication theory,

social history and rhetorical criti-

cism to explain the idea of ―The

Rhetorical Personality.‖ Rhetorical

Personalities are a ―special breed‖

of individuals who have the ability

to communicate with others in un-

familiar situations due to awareness

of their own persuasive power.

Throughout The Perfect Response,

Dr. Woodward uses popular public

figures like comedian Steve Martin,

President Bill Clinton, and former

British Prime Minister Tony Blair

to represent Rhetorical Personalities

who ―naturally maximize the possi-

bilities of communication in public

settings.‖

Dr. Gary C. Woodward of the Communica-

tion Studies Department


VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2

The cover image of Dr. Woodward’s new

book The Perfect Response

When asked if new media and so-

cial networking sites like Facebook

have an effect on the Rhetorical

Personality, Dr. Woodward, like

many other communication schol-

ars, is unsure how new media are

changing the field. It is hard to

evaluate social media due to the

fact that it tends to isolate and en-

gage people at the same time.

If social networking makes you

more independent, it minimizes the

impact of the Rhetorical Personali-

ty. In addition, Dr. Woodward

points out that the anonymity the

Internet offers changes what people

might do or say and therefore af-

fects how we relate to others. It is

difficult to say how the Rhetorical

Personality changes as we continue

to lose a ―public space‖ to the Inter-

net. Dr. Woodward mentions how

frequently debated this topic is in

his course Philosophy of Communi-

cation.

Even though ―new media‖ is a rap-

idly growing field, face-to-face

communication is still the most ef-

fective and still a very important

topic to explore. The book‘s cover

speaks volumes about the difficul-

ties we are trying to overcome

when communicating with others.

Dr. Woodward spent time looking

through over 200 photos for the

cover until he found one that accu-

rately represents The Perfect Re-

sponse. The cover has two people

shouting over a divide, which in Dr.

Woodward‘s opinion, works well

with the overall philosophy of com-

munication topic.

Now that Dr. Woodward has pub-

lished a number of books, he be-

lieves he can be more honest in his

writing. He cares less about wheth-

er people agree or disagree with

what he has to say because he un-

derstands people do not have to

please every audience. While oth-

ers may be reserved in their aca-

demic writing, Dr. Woodward be-

lieves he has finally found his

voice. He is no longer afraid to be

critical of traditional communica-

tion and psychology theories or

models. This idea is clear in his

writing and makes for an interesting

and fresh perspective on individuals

who exemplify the Rhetorical Per-

sonality. For now, we can look for-

ward to another book by Dr. Wood-

ward about intentionality. In this

new study he explains how we

name people‘s motives, a task that

is often difficult and frustrating.

Until then The Perfect Response is

sure to keep audiences captivated.

Popular public

figures like Steve

Martin, Bill

Clinton, and Tony

Blair represent

Rhetorical

Personalities who

“naturally maximize

the possibilities of

communication in

public settings.”

Dr. Gary Woodward

THE ROAR

Mike Savas, the current V.I.P Coordinator

and Manager of Bon Jovi Tours, has a job

that is all about throwing parties, treating

people exceptionally well, and making sure

that everyone is completely indulged in the

Bon Jovi experience.

Savas is not only an alumnus of The Col-

lege of New Jersey (‗04), but also of the

communication studies department‘s chap-

ter of the national honor society, Lambda

Pi Eta (LPH). This semester, Savas

reached out to LPH‘s current president,

Kellyn Klapko, about an unusual oppor-

tunity for students to bring what they have

learned about in the classroom to life

through the Bon Jovi Experience. Dr. Sims

accepted the role of faculty advisor for the

opportunity and ten Communication Stud-

ies students were chosen to experience a

day in the life behind the scenes of one of

the most famous bands in rock and roll:

Bon Jovi.

Erin Prendergast, Courtney Payne, Krystal

Spencer, Michael Roberts, Jenna Bush,

Dasia Steward, Lasha Carey, Matthew

Horner, Sarah Ruane and Kellyn Klapko

started the day with a tour of the Wells

Fargo Center in Philadelphia, where the

concert would take place, and a question

and answer session with Savas. Savas ex-

plained the details behind the 18-month

tour and why he loves to work on the road

with Bon Jovi, ―Bon Jovi is the #1 act, the

best band since the '80's, but even though

it's an '80's band, it's amazing how cross-

generational the audience is.‖

Inside the arena we were able to watch a

mix of crew members from the Bon Jovi

tour and local union workers rig the end-

less amount of lighting, sound, and tech-

nical equipment for that night‘s show.

―This is a start to finish project from 5am

to 12pm. It usually takes four hours or

more to set the stage and there is (sic) over

100,000 pounds of equipment‖ Savas ex-

plained.

Next we met with Bon Jovi‘s Production

Manager, Jesse, who has worked with Bon

Jovi for more than a decade, as well as

other rock and roll legends such as John

Mellencamp and The Eagles. Jesse ex-

plained that his job as Production Manager

deals with all aspects of planning the tour.

Substantial work goes into the tour before

it even begins – how to deal with unfore-

seen problems, how to save money, wheth-

er or not the equipment should travel via

truck or cargo ship, and how to make the

tour run smoothly overall. A lot of work

goes into running a successful tour, but the

job has its benefits too: ―I love traveling

from city to city, it's never the same rou-

tine. I also love the guys I work with,‖ said

Jesse.

Jesse also gave students a tour inside one

of the tour buses, introduced them to the

sound board technician who explained the

control panel, and allowed them to walk on

the newly constructed stage where Bon

Jovi would perform later that night.

Later that day, after all of the equipment

and instruments were set up, students were

treated to a final tour of the stage. They

were able to see the view of the arena that

the band members themselves see from

center stage, and the enormity of the space

was overwhelming. After the final tour and

sound check, students were in their concert

seats and the noise in the sold out Wells

Fargo Center was deafening as the screams

of over 19,000 fans filled the arena.

Communication studies students with pro-

fessional equipment, —Jenna Bush, Krys-

tal Spencer, and Michael Roberts — were

allowed to photograph and record the first

two songs of the concert from the press pit

directly in front of the stage.

The day was an extraordinary learning

experience for all of the students lucky

enough to participate, and the concert was

even more amazing to watch after learning

about all of the hard work that makes it

happen every night. As the concert came to

an end, students all reflected on the fantas-

tic opportunity afforded them, and on the

wise words of Savas, Jesse, and the other

crew members — the Bon Jovi experience

was something they will never forget!

Livin‟ on a Prayer: Communication Studies Students Participate in

The Bon Jovi Experience

By: Kellyn Klapko and Sarah Ruane

Crew members begin to set up technical

equipment, rig the lighting, and construct

the stage as early as 5 a.m.

Bon Jovi’s Production Manager gives us a

tour of the stage where the band will per-

form later that night

Press pit photo courtesy of Jenna Bush

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2

TCNJ Alumni Abroad: Seeing The World Through Different Eyes

By: Melissa Virzi

While many students search for jobs and

try to plan their post-TCNJ lives, two

Communication Studies alumni are build-

ing their careers overseas. The Roar got

the chance to catch up with Sean O‘Grady

‗04 and Guillermo Romero ‗07 and hear

about their experiences overseas and what

they wish they had known when they were

undergraduates.

The Roar [TR]: What are you involved

with overseas? Can you describe your cur-

rent jobs?

Sean O’Grady [SO]: I have been working

as a foreign correspondent since 2006. I

have reported live and pre-recorded stories

from over 30 countries including Afghani-

stan, Haiti, Sri Lanka, China and South

Africa. I function primarily as a one-man-

band journalist, meaning I write, shoot and

edit my own broadcast stories. My work

has appeared on CNN and Fox Business as

well as numerous local television stations

across the US.

Guillermo Romero[GR]: I am currently a

Peace Corps Volunteer in Cambodia

Teaching English as a Foreign Language

(TEFL) for the next two and half years. I

work in a small village in the southern

province of Kampot. My village is be-

tween two major highways, dirt roads for

10K each way. I teach with three Cambo-

dian English teachers at the local high

school. My job requires me to create les-

son plans with my teachers and with them

co-teach 400+ students, who for the most

part have never had a foreign English

teacher. Aside from teaching, I am work-

ing on: drawing a world map on one of the

walls of the school to educate the students

and the community about the world, work-

ing with NGO Room to Read to help do-

nate books for my library, working on a

water filter project to bring clean drinking

water to the school, and applying for a

scholarship that will help pay undergradu-

ate fees for underprivileged girls who

would not otherwise be able to afford col-

lege. I‘ve been in the country for 7 months

and I‘m learning to read and write Khmer.

TR: What has your experience abroad

been like so far? Would

you recommend searching for job opportu-

nities abroad?

SO: Working and traveling abroad devel-

ops perspective. Thinking globally and

understanding the needs of diverse geo-

political audiences is a tremendous differ-

entiator not only for journalists, but also

for nearly any individual aspiring to a high

-level career. The most rewarding part of

working abroad is developing a familiarity

and comfort level with foreign cultures and

entities. The worst part of traveling abroad,

especially in remote or third world loca-

tions, is the toll it takes on your mind,

body, spirit and family. Finding full-time

employment abroad can be a fun but chal-

lenging task. If you want to work abroad,

you should probably begin your search by

asking yourself: How will I be of value to

an employer in that region?

GR: My experience abroad has been

great. I adapted really easily to my new

home. I embrace the three main things that

serve as the foundation of any culture: I

learn the language to communicate with

people in my village, I try all the food they

make to show my appreciation, and I listen

and dance to their music.

TR: How has your experience at TCNJ

helped you in your career?

SO: The course ―Broadcast Writing and

Announcing‖ taught me the fundamentals

of writing for television. The course

changed my life, and to a large degree, can

be directly credited for my success post-

graduation.

GR: My experience at TCNJ has helped

guide my career in emphasizing the im-

portance of internships while in college. It

gives you the opportunity to really see

what a day in the life is like of someone

who has the position you are seeking. Also,

in my quest to learn about the world, the

professors in the Communication Studies

Department steered me to the Study

Abroad office. I studied abroad with Inter-

national Studies Abroad (ISA) in Spain

and Costa Rica. I can honestly say my

abroad experiences were the highlights of

my college years. Every student in the

Communication Studies Department

should check out various abroad opportuni-

ties that set you apart from the other candi-

dates when going out into the workforce. I

would absolutely recommend searching for

jobs abroad, whether it be as a volunteer or

working. The economy back in the states

was at a record low, I took that circum-

stance as an opportunity to do something

personally meaningful: live abroad, learn a

new language, and teach English.

TR: What are some words of wisdom you

would pass on to current Communication

Studies students?

SO: Every single person you meet, even

those in the classroom beside you, has the

potential to become a future career contact.

Recently, a high school classmate whom I

barely knew, but was always friendly with,

looked me up on LinkedIn after seeing me

on TV. It turned out this person works for

ABC Television. He recalled our kind in-

teractions and offered to set up a meeting

for me with the director of ABC News

Operations in New York. Two days later I

met Diane Sawyer.

Communication Studies alumnus Sean

O’Grady (‘04) films in Afghanistan


THE ROAR

Alumni Spotlight: Rowena Briones ‘08

By: Rebecca Vogt

Rowena Briones is a well-known name in

the Communication Studies Department –

not only because she was an accomplished

undergraduate here at The College of New

Jersey (whose research on global warming

won the 2008 Stephen A. Smith award

from the National Communication Associ-

ation for best co-authored student paper in

the nation,) but also because she is current-

ly a student in the number one public rela-

tions PhD program in the country at the

University of Maryland (UMD).

Two years after graduating from the Col-

lege, Rowena received her master‘s degree

in Communication from UMD and was

accepted into its doctoral program. In No-

vember, 2010, she won the Northwestern

Mutual Best Master's Thesis Award spon-

sored by the Institute for Public Relations

for her thesis, an audience analysis study

focusing on how young women make

meaning out of sexual assault campaign

materials. In October, 2010, she also won

the Betsy Plank Graduate Research Com-

petition Award, sponsored by the Public

Relations Society of America Educators

Academy for her paper on how PR educa-

tors use social media to create and main-

tain mentoring relationships with students.

Both national awards, Rowena was the

only graduate student in the nation earning

these awards for 2010 - an amazing accom-

plishment and great honor.

As a doctoral student at Maryland, Rowena

teaches, researches, and publishes. Her

articles have appeared in ―Public Relations

Review‖ and ―PRism,‖ and she has pre-

sented at numerous conferences such as

ICA, ECA, and PRSA. Her sub-interests

include health communication, social me-

dia, and the Web, so it was logical for

Rowena to teach a social media/PR course

last fall (―all by herself‖ she notes!). This

summer, Rowena teaches an intro public

relations course, similar to Prof. Farbman‘s

course at TCNJ, a major reason she decid-

ed to study PR in the first place. On top of

her busy schedule, Rowena also works for

a research/consulting firm conducting

formative research projects with FEMA

and the Centers for Disease Control.

A talented actress and singer, Rowena per-

formed in many of TCNJ Musical Thea-

ter's productions while she was an under-

graduate. Although Rowena has not per-

formed in any musicals at Maryland, she

has been actively involved in UMD's annu-

al performance of the Vagina Monologues

as well as directing and performing in an-

other Eve Ensler anthology, A Memory, A

Monologue, A Rant, and A Prayer, in April

of this year. a

Even though Rowena has a lot on her plate,

she still finds the time to visit family and

friends in New Jersey and maintain a long

distance relationship with her boyfriend

Michael. Rowena has only completed her

first year in the PhD program, but we wish

her all the best in the future - maybe some-

day she will be teaching our children as Dr.

Briones!

Rowena Briones, a 2008 alumna of the

Communication Studies Department, is

currently pursuing a PhD in public rela-

tions at the University of Maryland

You hear the word networking tossed

around a lot. It means different things to

different people, but for me it's simple. Be

genuinely nice and open to all you meet,

and you'll find success.

GR: Travel and see the world. See how

someone on the other side of the world

lives and works. It is an eye opening expe-

rience that will humble you and help you

appreciate the beautiful differences in the

world.

Romero with his host family in Cambodia

“[Networking]

means different

things to different

people, but for me

it‟s simple. Be

genuinely nice and

open to all you

meet, and you‟ll

find success.”

Sean O‟Grady „04

Lambda Pi Eta

The Alpha Xi chapter of Lambda Pi Eta inducted 14 new members on April 17th: Kristen Anderson, Victoria Branca, Julie Buxbaum, Michelle Davies, Victoria Falcone, Alexis Hankh, Carly Koziol, Lauryn Resotka, Victoria

Scarfone, Kimberly Sperun, Natalie Steele, Ellina Sukharenku, Victoria Vales, and Domenick Wissel. As a member of the Alpha Xi chapter of Lambda Pi Eta inductees must have a 3.3 GPA in the major, a 3.0 GPA overall, and hold 12 Communication Studies credits, and 56 credits overall. LPH is also pleased to announce their new executive board for the 2011-2012 school year: President – Katie Ward; VP of Programming – Natalie Steele; VP of Publicity – Audrey Hix; VP of Scholarship and Membership – Victoria Vales; Treasurer – Alexis Hankh. This semester LPH was involved in the organization of the first annual Communication Stud-ies Department Senior Luncheon with the help of Dr. Anntarie Sims and Ms. Mary Adamson-King as well as the organization of the Bon Jovi Experience, also with the assistance of Dr.

Sims. Contact [email protected] for more information.

The College of New Jersey

The Roar

If you are interested in writing for The Roar or have any suggestions

please contact Katie Ward at [email protected]

Communication Studies: Kendall Hall 235 The College of New Jersey P.O. Box 7718 2000 Pennington Rd. Ewing, N.J. 08628 P) 609.771.2107 E) [email protected] The Roar (A service of the TCNJ chapter of Lambda Pi Eta, National Communication Honor Society) Editor-in-chief: Sarah Ruane Contributing writers: Katie Ward, Courtney Payne, Danielle Digilio, Re-becca Vogt, Andrew Pie-tranek, Kellyn Klapko, and Melissa Virzi. Faculty Advisor: Dr. John Pollock

Lion’s Television

Lions Television is pleased to announce their new executive board for the 2011-2012 school year: Pres-

ident- Kirsten Anderson; VP- Natalie Steele; Secretary - Victoria Falcone; Treasurer- Alex Seninsky;

Marketing- Nick Malmi; Technical Coordinators: Kate Sage

(studio) & Matt Marten (post-production); On-Air Coordinators:

Alec Zucker (studio) & Colleen Stalter (out-of-studio); Fundrais-

er- Joe Vasile; Webmaster- Kate Sage. LTV has been super busy

this spring bringing the campus bi-weekly news updates on

"Lions Now" through our YouTube station, LTVChannel17. In

February, LTV had the opportunity to visit CBS 3 in Philadelph-

ia for an information session and a tour. Members were even able to to sit in on the network’s "Talk

Philly" show. In the upcoming fall semester LTV plans to restore their broadcast on campus channel

17. Stay tuned! LTV meetings are held on Wednesday afternoons at 1 p.m. in the Kendall Hall Televi-

sion Studio and are open to students of all majors and concentrations. For more information on Lions

Television email [email protected].

WTSR

This semester WTSR became the flagship station for the Trenton Thunder, an AAA affiliate of the New York Yankees. They will broadcast every Thunder game for the next three years. WTSR also held two installments of their Decaf acoustic coffeehouse series this semester featuring student artists on campus along with a Rock n' Raffle Battle of the Bands. Next semester WTSR will be continue Decaf and transition their CD collection to an entirely digital format. For more information on WTSR or to listen online visit wtsr.org.

Public Health Communication Club

This semester the Public Health Communication Club co-sponsored ―Ribbons for Relief,‖ a student project for

Dr. Sims‘ Small Group Communication course, that sold red ribbons to benefit the American Red Cross relief

efforts in Japan. PHCC also sent its co-President, Katie Ward, and senior member, Erin Prendergast, to the first

biennial D.C. Health Communication Conference sponsored by George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia

at the end of April. Katie and Erin presented their co-authored paper Nationwide Newspaper Coverage of

Healthy Eating: A Community Structure Approach at the conference. Next semester the club plans to create a

campus-wide health campaign about healthy eating and sponsor another campus speaker. For more infor-

mation email [email protected].

Club Updates

mailto:[email protected]

http://wtsr.org

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